New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-09

OLD DRESDEN.


.,f knocking up the gna ed mesquite roots and
with long breath of satisfaction and the air OF a
cOnnoisseur viewed the pink-tlDted heap beside
HIM. Pulling of his diapidated hat, he allowed
the cool morning breeze to play among the some
what ragged locks which hung over his forehead.
The SIM like n great crimson ball, hung sleeplly
above the Eastern horizon. casting FAINT glow
upon the turretted face of the F!orldas and gliding
the distant peaks of the Tres Hermanas, standing
IN cose-nked embrace. like allied sentinels guard
ing the Mexican frontier. In the long, level space
which stretched between the mountains, born aloft
on the curling fingers of the morning mist appeared
n phantom city. its castelated heights and stately
domes rearing themselves as if in prophecy OF the
years TO come when q noble civilization
shall redeem the barren of the Southern ter
rlories and raise its monuments OF art ana arcnl-
lecture amid the arid plains.
The echo of human voices fell upon Dresden's ear.
ooh. Jobnwhy must you goi' A woman's voice,
low and sweet, with tlemor OF pain
Come now Helen, don't be a baby, dear Three
weeks will fly by in no time. And who knows how
rich strike may make
"But | don't want it. need you, john" Old
Dresden addressed himself to the woodple with
1cdoubled energy. A flying knot ofmesquite struck
lis hand The sting of the wound refreshed him,
and little later he heard the door of the cottage
slam. while the clink Of horses hoOf sounded on
the gravelly soil. AS he watched horse ana rider
disappear at length in the direction of the mirage
which had shifted its form so as to resemble huge
beast OF prey couched for spring upon its prey,
something very like hot German oath rolled like
stuffed thunder from his lips.
a teufel of a fellow" he murmured more calmly
under breath an instant later accenting the quail
fcation with stout blows of the axe on an obsti-
nate root, which had as many contortions as a dy-
IF n a
fran like dat alone town to Mexico to tig COLT in
mittel dc windcr Ii might be ferry goot for him"
he added medltatveiy. leaning upon the axe
helve his face screwed into quaint grimace as
old In should take off his scalp for hm-but de
little frau
With a sudden indrawng of his shoulders and
IN accompanying droop of the corners of his
mouth, be seemed 10 protest against his own harsh
Judgment as he renewed the combat with the OBJ
stinate fuel!
Old Dresden was not the only one who disap
proved of John Meredlth's journey through the
wild Sierra Madre at that season of the year when
storms were frequent in the mountains and Apaches
skulking in the valley and passes. His partner
David Rowell. bad entered vigorous protest, ont
TO no avail John Meredith had the pugnacity of
determination peculiar to men OF genius From
early boyhooi his career had been slgnalized by a
series of daring and headstrong exploits and when
as a GROWING feat, he had captured pretty Helen
Gresham by an audacous move, If David Howell
cboked 1t bravely down and barbored no bitterness
in his honest heart. . ,
week after her husbands departure. Mrs Mere
G,th received a scrawl from MeSia, where he bad
evpected to meet a friend. written just as they
were taking the trail g And don't be worried my
dear y he wrote in conclusion the days Will pass
nuIci,lv and three weeks Will soon he up But You
must count from the date of our departure" She
dried her eyes and counted the days from the 10 h
On the ist of March warm wind swept over
the southern table-ands. Under its breath the
magic ard the dry bed of the Mlembres became the
ccurse of sllrgIng torrent, sweeping onward ior
fhal plunge into the waters OF the guif. Inc fern
like foliage of the mesquite commenced 10 eau
tionslv unfold and the wild vcrbena and iupne
mace tiny patches of purple and magenta over the
On the Sd of March Helen Meredith rose with
tren,nlons eagerness at dawn. The morning was
calm aud STILL out peculiar obscuIlty about the
horizon pre>aged the approach OF the New-MeAicah
sirocco stationed at a bulPs-eye window Ill the
attic with field glass in her hand. the young wife
kept her eyes steadily fixed on ne winding sivery
ribbon, attenuated 10 thread IN the distance,
which marked the line OF travel pursued oy p ssers
10 and fro over the Mexican line. For upward OF
an hour nothing rewarded her vigilance; then q
long and blurred mass developed into tram OF hay
wagons each drawn by a score of stout-limbed
oxen and attended by deputatlon OF hah-clothed
swarthv Mexcans. Another hour passed. and the
rough wagon of Texan rancher appeared, the
horses strolling leisurely along, while man and
wife. perched on the high drivers seat, smoked
their clay pipes in placid content.
Absorbed in her anxious watch little Mrs Mere
d,th had not observed that the wind had risen. and
for a moment, was almost appalled, to see road ana
iandscape disappear from view beneath q dun col
Ored cloud which, as 1t drew near eltcctualiy con-
ceaIed every trace OF the cottages across ,e iGee
own sidewalk. Shreds OF cloth, blts OF pasteooaIu
and great sheets Of paper were caught up by the
wind along with the clouds of dust and gravel,
and borne onward in its mad flight IN lower
latitude the great velocity of the WIND, coupled
with the force OF wei2hler atmospn n "suid
was it would do little mischief beyond a1ouslng
the tempers of mankind and uprooting sundry out
bouses built upon insecure foundations. MIS-
Meredith with a GOODNESS and patience born OF ex-
perience bore this assault upon her donicllc WIN
rharmine eonanimity. Moving about the house,
She nToceeded to collect number of long and sen-
the tidy New Mexican housewife, and to ar
range them in their accustomed places over door
and window sills thus fighting the Intrusive ele-
ment on the homeopathic prlncIpe'
All that day. and the next, she waited in mean-
choly expectancy, not knowing what minute the
familiar step might be heard on her little porch
On the third day the storm subsidized, ana the tear
less eyes of the despairlng woman Deheld only
desoiute plain, fanked by pitess hills, and inter
sccted by the white road. along which no sign OF
life could he detected. The mountains IN all dlrec-
tons had renewed their crests OF snow.
Succeeding DAYS moved by IN torturing suspense
AS time progressed. the suns rays beat ever more
warmly upon the earth, and, by the mlddle OF
March, the heat at noon-day was IKE a ioretasl t
nj summer Passers-by, as they nearcd the small
cottage learned 10 expect VISION OF pair OF im,
nlorinc ewes at the door or window, or at night1a
"a womanS form. cDVeiOpeu III IL WoiotOu
".c;va m and down behind the double row of cacti
and trio Of sickly cherry-trees which constituted
the sole verdure in the garden. Mariana IN the
moated grange" quoted a few OF the more MS a
cbievons. in willful travesty Of the situation tor
his wife's anxiety over Meredith's prolonged ao-
sence was the subject of general comment, meeting
sr;tS little sympathy among those accustomed 10
the uncertainties OF frontier me-
Two men failed to share IN The prevailing apatn panty
David Rowcl on his regular horseback nde oeIoio
breakfast each morning, never tailed 10 crcIo
about his partners house. and az the SAD, question:
ing face presented Itself 10 him Jocnlar inquiry
left his lips.
"Well, Mrs. Meredith, has that missing iofd ana
master of yours turned up yctf
faterlug negative would greet him..
Exactly as prophcsed. You might as Wen
make up your mind you'll never see him again:
Some of those pretty Mexicans down there have led